News and notes from each week of NASCAR racing using a Las Vegas oddsmaking perspective

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Off week in NASCAR, so let's review first 5 races

Still some debate on how exciting a few of first five races were.

THE FIRST FIVE RACES

.367 – Average margin of victory, in seconds, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the closest through 5 races since the inception of electronic timing and scoring in 1993.

.010 – Margin of victory, in seconds, of both the Daytona 500 and Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. That figure is tied for the seventh closest margin of victory since the inception of electronic timing and scoring in 1993.

4 – Number of different drivers who have won in the first five races (Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson).

4 – Number of different organizations that have won in the first five races (Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports).

3 – The three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series manufacturers each won one of the first three races.

Daytona International Speedway

.010 – Margin of victory, in seconds, between winner Denny Hamlin and runner-up Martin Truex Jr., making it the closest finish in the history of The Great American Race and tied for the seventh closest margin of victory since the inception of electronic timing and scoring in 1993.

11,959 – For the third consecutive year, the Daytona 500 eclipsed the 10,000 mark for green flag passes throughout the field.

They Said It: Daytona DENNY HAMLIN: You want to win the tight ones. That's what makes them special. It wouldn't be fun – well, it would be fun to win by a lap. But it's, like, storybook. You make a pass on the last corner of the last lap of the Daytona 500. That's what makes it so cool.

Atlanta Motor Speedway

44 – Number of green flag passes for the lead at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a record since the inception of the loop data stat in 2005.

3,717 – Number of green flag passes throughout the field, the second highest total at Atlanta since the inception of loop data in 2005.

They Said It: Atlanta CARL EDWARDS: This is real racing. We’re driving hard. You can see the guys out here just digging for everything they’re worth. I’m worn out. That’s a tough race and just a lot of fun. I just can’t thank NASCAR enough and Atlanta – don’t ever pave this place – it’s a perfect race track. I hope the fans enjoyed the show. The thing is, just know that in that car we’re driving as hard as we can.

DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I loved it. We were sliding around and driving the hell out of the car. I had a blast. I had some good races there on the track with the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski) and the No. 18 (Kyle Busch) and a bunch of guys. Man, it was so much fun.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

22 – Number of green flag passes for the lead, an increase of four over last year’s total.

They Said It: Las Vegas BRAD KESELOWSKI: The new rules package today I thought was tremendous. I think you saw, because of the rules package, where the cars fell off a lot at the end of the run and you really had to drive them sideways. Took a lot of balance as a driver, a lot of precise footwork and accuracy with where you put your car, how you place it, which is exactly what we want. This shouldn't be easy. This is the Sprint Cup Series. These cars should be very hard to drive. At the end of the run they were a challenge. It's nice to be a part of that.

Phoenix International Raceway

.010 – Margin of victory, in seconds, at Phoenix between winner Kevin Harvick and runner up Carl Edwards, making it the closest finish at PIR and tied for the seventh closest margin of victory since the inception of electronic timing and scoring in 1993.

8 – Number of wins by Kevin Harvick, most all-time at the one-mile track. Harvick has won five of the last six Phoenix races, and six of the last eight.

They Said It: Phoenix KEVIN HARVICK: Fun finish. I think as drivers and as a sport, that's really the benefit -- one of the benefits of the low downforce package and the tire situation. The tire situation being the biggest thing is so you have those different strategies with the late cautions to where you have two tires, you have no tires, you probably have four tires, I'm sure, to have the comers and goers and the exciting finishes. That is exactly what we're all looking for, for finishes and strategy as you look at the low downforce and the soft tires.

CARL EDWARDS: The race was just a lot of fun. I really wish it would have worked out a little bit differently, but it's a good race. I ran into him about as hard as I thought I could without wrecking him, and it ended up being a drag race. It was kind of fun coming to the line because I thought, man, I got him, and then he doored me real hard and then he got a little run and then I tried to door him and slow him down, but it just didn't work.

Auto Club Speedway

51 – Number of green flag passes for the lead at Auto Club Speedway, a record since the inception of the loop data stat in 2005.

77 – Jimmie Johnson captured his 77th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win, at Auto Club speedway, good for sole possession of seventh on the all-time wins list.

They Said It: Auto Club JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, just a fun race. I mean, I love the rules package, how the car drives. When we come to a track like we have here, an old surface, it's so much fun to drive the racecar. So much the driver can control, setting up passes, looking for lines. Really just a ton of fun.

JAMIE MCMURRAY: I think it’s significantly better than what we had last year. And I can’t find anybody that thinks differently. You can race a little bit closer. The car in front of you doesn’t mess up your car as much. So, I have nothing but really positive things to say about it.

DALE EARNHARDT JR.: It’s (lower downforce package) great. Every week has been fun, fun, fun. The cars are fun to drive, slipping and sliding. It’s a good challenge and I’m enjoying it.